The US Senate narrowly blocked on Tuesday the latest Democratic-led effort to end the war in Iran until it is authorized by Congress, the ninth by Democrats since Israel and the United States began their air strikes on Iran in February.
The Senate voted 48-47 to block the resolution under the War Powers Act, which followed a framework agreement announced this week by the White House and Tehran for a further ceasefire and talks to end the conflict.
The vote was largely along party lines, as Republicans Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted with most Democrats in favor, and Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against along with most Republicans.
Five senators – Republicans Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Josh Hawley of Missouri, Democrats Michael Bennet of Colorado and Cory Booker of New Jersey, and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont – did not vote.
The vote came as lawmakers waited for President Donald Trump's administration to give them details about a memorandum of understanding announced by Trump on Sunday to end the war.
Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans have called on the administration to give them specific details about the plan, with Democrats in particular saying they feel they have been left in the dark.
Trump's Republicans have slim majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The House also recently supported a resolution that would end the war with Iran.
The resolution blocked in the Senate procedural vote on Tuesday was sponsored by Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia.
In a sign of lawmakers' frustration with the ongoing conflict, the Senate on May 19 voted to advance the eighth war powers resolution introduced by Democrats, after the same four Republicans voted with every Democrat except Fetterman in favor of moving forward.
The measure, led by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, faces another procedural vote before it can be voted on in the Senate. Congressional aides said its sponsors were still working to gather support while they await more information about the peace negotiations.
